BRISTOL — A Bristol man on Monday pleaded innocent in Chittenden Superior Court, criminal division, to felony first-degree aggravated assault and three other charges in connection with a Jan. 3 incident during which he allegedly strangled a woman in their Bristol home and prevented her from calling emergency responders.
And court records confirm the alleged victim in this case is the same person that the defendant — 30-year-old Jason P. Vincent — was accused of assaulting last November.
A police affidavit filed by Vermont State Police Trooper Kyle Young indicates the victim came to the VSP barracks in New Haven during the evening of Jan. 3 to report the most recent alleged offense. The victim alleged she was using Vincent’s phone earlier that evening and had asked him about a girl’s phone number that she had spotted on the device, according to Young’s affidavit.
Vincent allegedly “got upset” after being confronted about the girl’s phone number and “decided to get physical,” the victim allegedly told authorities.
The victim alleged that Vincent picked her up by the hips and dragged her up the stairs of the Bristol home, an event allegedly witnessed by a 12-year-old boy, according to court records.
Once upstairs, Vincent allegedly pushed the victim onto a bedroom floor and “proceeded to use both hands to strangle her,” according to Young’s affidavit.
The victim alleged that Vincent kept his hands around her neck for a “couple minutes” while she struggled to tell him to stop, according to court records. She alleged that once Vincent stopped strangling her, he pushed her into a window, causing her to hit her head, police said.
Court records indicate Vincent allegedly kept the woman from leaving the bedroom by blocking the door with his body. He also allegedly took the victim’s cell phone to prevent her from calling for help, according to police.
The victim told police she sustained a bump to the right side of her head and had soreness on the right side of her neck as a result of the alleged assault.
“I asked Kimball during this assault was she in fear for her life and she advised, ‘Yes,’” Young’s affidavit states.
State police cited Vincent for first-degree aggravated domestic assault (felony); interference with access to emergency services (misdemeanor); second-degree unlawful restraint (felony); and violation of conditions of release (misdemeanor). Those conditions of release — stemming from the November 2014 case — included that Vincent “must not abuse or harass in any way (the victim) regardless of whether you are in jail or released,” according to court records.
Vincent was ordered held without bail at the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility following his arrest at around 9:15 p.m. on Jan. 3. He was ordered held without bail at the Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans following his arraignment on Monday, according to court documents.
Vincent faces up to 15 years in jail and/or a fine of up to $25,000 if convicted on the felony assault charge. The felony second-degree unlawful restraint charge carries a penalty of up to five years in jail and/or a fine of up to $25,000, if convicted.